Your guide to healthy snacking at work, based on your level of laziness

Hold the chips

Whether you’ve had a power-packed three course meal or a light bowl of salad for lunch, hunger pangs start creeping in the minute the clock strikes 4pm. And while you should be proud of yourself for reaching out to that pear or peach instead of potato chips, you need to rethink your snack options in the monsoons. “Salads and pre-cut fruits, when exposed to monsoon air, can develop microbiota, which can cause gastric irritation and stomach infections,” explains Mumbai-based nutritionist Suman Agarwal. She suggests munching on protein-based snacks instead that step up the immunity and protect you from common cold, and carb-based snacks for energy. Agarwal charts your Monday to Friday midday menu, and if you can’t pack them yourself, we’ve curated options you can pick off stores and delivery service menus. Here’s your guide.

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Monday

Pack: “Monday isn’t the easiest of days to prep and plan meals, so go for a mixed jar of nuts, dried berries and seeds,” says Agarwal.Pick up: Epigamia’s snack pack will come in handy to light up your Monday blues. The Greek yoghurt company does snack packs that come topped with chunky granola. Mix the fruit goodness with these crunchy bits and eat away.

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Tuesday

Pack: “Roasted channa or peanuts, or make a quick roll stuffed with moong and vegetables,” suggests Agarwal.Pick up: Light and crunchy, the cookie box by Brown Salt is apt when stuck in a midday meeting. The artisanal cookies are made of 50 per cent dark chocolate and wholesome oatmeal to keep you full for long. They’ll also beat sugar cravings with far less calories than that dense chocolate loaf!

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Wednesday

Pack: “Mixed veggie paratha made by simply kneading veggies into regular paratha dough. Add cabbage, carrot, capsicum and bottle gourd and roast it on a griddle,” says Agarwal.Pick up: Too Yumm’s Wheat Thins are all you need to spoon up last night’s hummus or leftover dips. They are high in protein and fibre and apt to carry in your handbag as well. You can also eat them without a dip, with your afternoon green tea instead.

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Thursday

Pack: A tiny low-fat cheese or veg sandwich, or a mock mayo sandwich. To make a delicious toast of salad veggies in hung curd with a curried twist, hang the curd in a muslin cloth for one and a half hours. Remove from cloth and transfer to a bowl. Add carrots, capsicum, salt, sugar and mix well. Heat oil and add 1 tsp mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add curry leaves, remove from heat and add red chilli powder. Add this to the curd mixture. Spread it over your bread and toast it.Pick up: What more would you want than a celebrity nutritionist telling you how to cope with hunger pangs? Zarin Watson’s new food delivery service The Pitchfork does a delicious Ring My Bell sandwich that is stuffed with roasted pepper, cumin-flavoured zucchini, jalapenos, all on two-seed sourdough bread. They deliver across Mumbai.